Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry David Thoreau and the Voices of the Oppres

Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry David Thoreau and the Voices of the Oppressed      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There have been many writers who dedicated much of their work towards representing the voices of the oppressed. Among them are Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry David Thoreau. Although these authors were dedicated to the same cause they approached the subject from their own perspective, reflecting on an issue that was relevant to their position in life. Their literature was used to address, or in some cases attack, problems within society such as race, equality, and gender. The voices of Stowe, and Thoreau were used as an instrument in representing the injustices of those who had no one else to protect them. Oddly enough, this protection was from the very government which declared "equal rights" for all men. Harriet Beecher Stowe is perhaps best known for her work entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a heart-wrenching story about the treatment and oppression of slaves. Uncle Tom’s Cabin brings to life the evils of slavery and questions the moral and religious values of those who condoned or participated in such a lifestyle. While the factual accuracy of this work has been criticized by advocators of both slavery and abolition it is widely believed that the information contained was drawn from Stowe’s own life experiences (Adams 62). She was the seventh child and youngest daughter in her family. She was only four years old when her mother died, which left the young Harriet Beecher little protection from her "Fatherà ¢s rugged character and doctrinal strictness" (Adams 19). To further complicate matters she was aware that her father preferred she had been a boy. According to Adams, although Stoweà ¢s childhood was not entirely unhappy she would never forget... ...n Wilderness is Thoreau." Henry David Thoreau: Studies and Commentaries. Ed. Walter Harding et al. Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickenson UP, 1972. 19. Slavery Source: "Biographical ketch of the Authoress." Stowe, Harriet Beecher: Uncle Tomà ¢s emancipation, earthly care and heavenly discipline; and other tales and sketches. 1853. fiche E441.S645 no.354, card 1. xx. Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. "Declaration of Sentiments." The Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ,1998. 2035. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. "Uncle Tomà ¢s Cabin." 1852. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 2325, 2326. Thoreau, Henry David/ "Resistance to Civil Disobedience." 1849. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 2090, 2094. Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry David Thoreau and the Voices of the Oppres Harriet Beecher Stowe, Henry David Thoreau and the Voices of the Oppressed      Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   There have been many writers who dedicated much of their work towards representing the voices of the oppressed. Among them are Harriet Beecher Stowe and Henry David Thoreau. Although these authors were dedicated to the same cause they approached the subject from their own perspective, reflecting on an issue that was relevant to their position in life. Their literature was used to address, or in some cases attack, problems within society such as race, equality, and gender. The voices of Stowe, and Thoreau were used as an instrument in representing the injustices of those who had no one else to protect them. Oddly enough, this protection was from the very government which declared "equal rights" for all men. Harriet Beecher Stowe is perhaps best known for her work entitled Uncle Tom’s Cabin, a heart-wrenching story about the treatment and oppression of slaves. Uncle Tom’s Cabin brings to life the evils of slavery and questions the moral and religious values of those who condoned or participated in such a lifestyle. While the factual accuracy of this work has been criticized by advocators of both slavery and abolition it is widely believed that the information contained was drawn from Stowe’s own life experiences (Adams 62). She was the seventh child and youngest daughter in her family. She was only four years old when her mother died, which left the young Harriet Beecher little protection from her "Fatherà ¢s rugged character and doctrinal strictness" (Adams 19). To further complicate matters she was aware that her father preferred she had been a boy. According to Adams, although Stoweà ¢s childhood was not entirely unhappy she would never forget... ...n Wilderness is Thoreau." Henry David Thoreau: Studies and Commentaries. Ed. Walter Harding et al. Rutherford: Fairleigh Dickenson UP, 1972. 19. Slavery Source: "Biographical ketch of the Authoress." Stowe, Harriet Beecher: Uncle Tomà ¢s emancipation, earthly care and heavenly discipline; and other tales and sketches. 1853. fiche E441.S645 no.354, card 1. xx. Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. "Declaration of Sentiments." The Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co. ,1998. 2035. Stowe, Harriet Beecher. "Uncle Tomà ¢s Cabin." 1852. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 2325, 2326. Thoreau, Henry David/ "Resistance to Civil Disobedience." 1849. The Heath Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Paul Lauter et al. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998. 2090, 2094.

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